emily Archives - MomStart

Father’s Day Weekend is Get a Frosty. Give back.

June 14, 2014 by Momstart Leave a Comment

By EMILY:

Celebrate with Wendy’s Father’s Day Frosty Weekend Promotion June 14 & June 15

It’s easy to please my Dad on Father’s Day, pictures of the grandkids and a special meal are all he ever asks for. Of course we slip in a new electronic gadget or tool as well, but what he most looks forward to is simply time with the family. This has become our Father’s Day tradition and in the past few years we’ve added onto that tradition by participating in the Wendy’s Father’s Day Frosty weekend promotion. No one in our family can resist a Frosty treat and I must admit the Frosty waffle cone, my personal favorite, is match made in heaven!

For the eighth consecutive year Wendy’s is making Father’s Day even sweeter with its fan-favorite Father’s Day Frosty Weekend promotion. Throughout Father’s Day Frosty Weekend – Saturday, June 14, and Sunday, June 15 – participating Wendy’s restaurants will donate 50 cents from the sale of every Frosty product to support the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption^®(DTFA), an organization that works to help find permanent, loving families for the more than 134,000 children in North America waiting in foster care to be adopted.

What better time to spoil Dad and the rest of the family with their favorite Frosty treats?

“Father’s Day is the perfect time to continue my dad’s legacy to help children in foster care find permanent, loving dads (and moms),” said Wendy Thomas, daughter of Wendy’s founder, Dave Thomas, who was adopted as a boy.

“In the past eight years, Wendy’s has raised more than $12 million through our Father’s Day Frosty weekend program,” said Liz Geraghty, Vice President, Brand Marketing. “This promotion gives us a chance to rally fans around a cause that’s at the core of Wendy’s, and provide our customers with a sweet way to give back to the community.”

Wendy’s Father’s Day Frosty Weekend promotion will be underway nationwide for only two days so be sure to make it a part of your Father’s Day weekend! For store locations and to learn more about Wendy’s Father’s Day Frosty Weekend promotion and ways to give back, visit www.wendys.com/adoption.

For more information about The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption visit davethomasfoundation.org, or call 1-800-ASK-DTFA.

Disclosure – I was compensated by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the writing of this review; however, opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation.

Emily is also very active in the local MOMS CLUB. The mother of two girls, ages 8 and 4, Emily also cares for her lovable old shih Tzu, a frisky kitty and a flock of egg-laying chickens. Originally from Wisconsin, Emily transplanted to Pacific Northwest after college to be with the handsome, sweet guy she met on Spring Break. They have now been married for 11 years. Emily hates housecleaning, loves wine and enjoys dining out. She would love to find a cure for the depression and anxiety she has dealt with on and off since early adulthood, just like me. She is an amazing mom and friend. You can follow Emily on Twitter @EastSeattleMama.

Secret Clinical Strength Offers Sweat Protection Like Never Before

April 24, 2014 by Momstart 23 Comments

Secret Clinical Strength Offers Sweat Protection Like Never Before

By Emily:

I like to embrace the things that make me unique. I want to teach my kids that it’s fine to be yourself even if it means a bit different. However, I have one trait I’m pretty disgusted with and wish I could change: my excessive sweating. Honestly, the temperatures don’t need to be sweltering nor do I need to be working out to break a sweat. I’ve learned that my trigger has been stress, I have stress sweat, and when are we not stressed? From high school and college pressures to career ambitions and the crazy roller coaster of parenting, stress is unfortunately a pretty common part of life. In the past I’ve kept a spare stick of deodorant in my car or purse and learned quickly that white shirts do not remain white around my underarms. Pretty gross, right? Well I’m now thrilled that this is a problem that will stay in the past thanks to new Secret Clinical Strength.

Moisture activated, and formulated with odor-neutralizing ingredients that release a fresh scent, Secret Clinical Strength is proven to give you 4X* the protection against stress sweat (*vs. wetness protection required of an ordinary antiperspirant).

Of the three causes of sweat—heat, activity, and stress—stress sweat has been proven to smell the worst. Stress sweat comes from a different gland—causing more bacteria and more odor. But Secret Clinical Strength has you covered in three different forms of protection and in a variety of great scents.

After becoming a fan of Secret Clinical Strength’s debut in Smooth Solid, I was excited to try out the two new forms, Clear Gel and Invisible Solid. Available in Completely Clean, Powder Protection, Sport Fresh and my favorite scent, Oh La La lavender, both new forms are made to keep you feeling dry, fresh, and fearless all day long.

On top of my sweating troubles I also have sensitive skin which limits many of the products I can use. Thankfully, I have had no issue with Secret Clinical Strength. It’s good to know that there is also a Secret Clinical Strength for Sensitive Skin, but I’ve been pleased for weeks now with the Smooth Solid and Invisible Solid in Oh La La Lavender. No rashes and reliable sweat protection!

I also don’t have to worry about forgetting to apply my deodorant during hectic mornings since Secret Clinical Strength is applied at bedtime. It works while you sleep to reduce excess perspiration. It will continue to protect you throughout your next day even if you bathe or shower in the morning. You can also customize the protection that’s right for your personal needs by adjusting the amount dispensed (the average dose is two clicks per underarm). And I’m saving money as well since I no longer need to reapply throughout the day like I did with deodorants in the past!

Secret Clinical Strength helps me feel confident about my sweat protection which is one less thing to stress about! Visit www.nostresssweat.com for the scoop on stress sweat and find a Secret Clinical Strength that’s just right for you!

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One lucky Momstart reader can win a $25 Walmart gift card to stock up on Secret Clinical Strength (US residents only).

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Emily is also very active in the local MOMS CLUB. The mother of two girls, ages 8 and 4, Emily also cares for her lovable old shih Tzu, a frisky kitty and a flock of egg-laying chickens. Originally from Wisconsin, Emily transplanted to Pacific Northwest after college to be with the handsome, sweet guy she met on Spring Break. They have now been married for 10 years. Emily hates housecleaning, loves wine and enjoys dining out. She would love to find a cure for the depression and anxiety she has dealt with on and off since early adulthood, just like me. She is an amazing mom and friend. You can follow Emily on Twitter @EastSeattleMama.

All Aboard for a Day Out with Thomas!

July 14, 2013 by Momstart Leave a Comment

All Aboard for a Day Out with Thomas!

By Emily:

My kids and I are thrilled to be one of the hundreds of families attending Day Out with Thomas this July 12th-14th and July 19th-21^st at the Northwest Railway Museum in Snoqualmie, WA. We have never been on a real train ride together as a family so we are excited that our first experience with be with Thomas the Tank Engine. I can’t wait to make some new memories with my family and look forward to sharing them with you on Momstart soon!

Tickets are still available so be sure to visit Northwest Railway Museum Day Out with Thomas page to get your seat. Tickets ($21 age 2 and older) include a 25-minute train ride with Thomas the Tank Engine to Snoqualmie Falls as well as a variety of Thomas & Friends themed entertainment, including Storytelling and Video Viewing, Temporary Tattoos of Island of Sodor friends, and an Imagination Station with Arts & Crafts and more. Guests will also have the opportunity to meet Sir Topham Hatt, the Controller of the Railway on the Island of Sodor.

For more information on the 2013 Day out With Thomas at the Northwest Railway Museum visit:
http://www.trainmuseum.org/thomas/main.html

To find a Day Out with Thomas event in other cities check out:
http://events.hitentertainment.com/us/day-out-with-thomas/index.asp

Disclosure – This event will be provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the writing of this review; however, opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation.

About Emily:

Emily is also very active in the local MOMS CLUB. The mother of two girls, ages 7 and 3, Emily also cares for her lovable old shihtzu, a frisky kitty and a flock of egg-laying chickens. Originally from Wisconsin, Emily transplanted to Pacific Northwest after college to be with the handsome, sweet guy she met on Spring Break. They have now been married for 10 years. Emily hates housecleaning, loves wine and enjoys dining out. She would love to find a cure for the depression and anxiety she has dealt with on and off since early adulthood, just like me. She is an amazing mom and friend.

TruMoo Chocolate Milk: A Good Thing Gone Great!

March 25, 2013 by Momstart Leave a Comment

TruMoo Chocolate Milk: A Good Thing Gone Great!

I have to tell you that my kids really enjoy TruMoo. A while back we received samples and my kids just practically inhaled it they drank it so fast. While I was traveling this past weekend we were staying at the Hilton Garden Inn in Louisville Kentucky and the chocolate milk brand they served was TruMoo and Zoe liked it so much (not remembering that she had it before) said mom this is so good you have to try it too. So I tried it and I was reminded why I liked it so much too, it’s not really sugary tasting. It’s more chocolaty than sweet. The rest of this article is by my contributor Emily.

By Emily

Do you know what kid-friendly, chocolaty treat has as much calcium as 7 cups of broccoli, as much potassium as a small banana, and as much vitamin D as 3.5 ounces of cooked salmon? The answer: TruMoo chocolate milk. TruMoo, the nation’s leading ready-to-serve-chocolate milk has been reformulated to be even better. The new and improved TruMoo now contains 40% less sugar than the previous formulation, which is 35% sugar less than the leading chocolate milk competitor, and no high fructose corn syrup.

So what is in TruMoo chocolate milk that makes it taste so good? This delicious beverage is made with fresh white milk, sourced from regional dairies, cocoa and just enough natural sugar to make it taste great. TruMoo’s farmers pledge “No” to artificial growth hormones and you can find which local dairies provide milk for TruMoo.

The newly formulated fat-free variety of TruMoo contains only 120 calories per serving and 6 grams of added sugar. Like regular milk, TruMoo provides eight essential nutrients: calcium, protein, vitamins A, D and B12, riboflavin, phosphorus and potassium. TruMoo makes an excellent post-exercise recovery beverage for women and moms on-the-go since it has the perfect ratio of protein and carbohydrates to replenish tired muscles. TruMoo Chocolate Milk is more than just a tasty treat; it’s a nutritious choice for the whole family, and one that you can be proud to serve every day.

TruMoo can be enjoyed hot, cold or even frozen as popsicles. Available in gallons, half gallons, quarts and single serve bottles, TruMoo is a tasty beverage to enjoy at home or on the go.

TruMoo Chocolate Milk is available in the dairy case at grocery and convenience stores nationwide.

For more information about TruMoo nutrition or to find a retailer near you, visit www.Trumoo.com. To stay up to date on TruMoo news check out their Facebook page or tweet along.

Disclosure – Emily received a gift card to Walmart to purchase samples however, our Walmart did not have TruMoo in stock.

About Emily:

Celebrate Little Mommy Day Any Day

June 6, 2012 by Momstart 12 Comments

By Emily:

Is it just my kid or are there other little girls out there that go overboard when it comes to hosting a playdate? What can start out as a simple get together with a friend or two, will usually turn into a themed party complete with an itinerary, snack menu, and music. I shudder to think what my daughter will have in store for her wedding day! But I honestly do love her enthusiasm and I’m amazed at all the entertaining ideas she comes up with.

For our most recent playdate, we decided to check out the easy to use, Little Mommy Day Facebook application (Facebook.com/littlemommy) created by Mattel. Mattel’s Little Mommy dolls are a big hit in our home and the new Facebook application takes the fun one step further by organizing everything you need to create a special Little Mommy Day for your child. Parents can access a fun activity kit of DIY printables, as well as find great tips from Rosie Pope, host of Bravo’s “Pregnant in Heels”! Rosie Pope recently hosted her own Little Mommy Day in New York City and you can also read all about the event on the Little Mommy Day Facebook page.

Little Mommy Dolls are specifically designed for girls as young as 18 months, and provide products that offer play for all stages of a little girl’s life. Every little girl loves to pretend that she’s a real mommy, and Little Mommy brings this nurturing play to life through a world of adorable baby dolls and accessories. We were given the wonderful opportunity to review the Sweet as Me Dolls which are the toddler stage of the Little Mommy doll line. My daughters really think these are their coolest dolls! We received the TuTu Cute and the Oh So Boho dolls, each with beautiful shiny hair, bright eyes and colorful clothing. Each doll has her own accessory piece and unique shoes. We were also fortunate to receive two additional outfits which my daughters have mixed and matched into their own stylish creations.

To get ready for our Little Mommy Day playdate, we printed out Little Mommy invitations, birth certificates, scrapbook kit and matching card game. My older daughter got to do all the cutting and my younger one helped with the pasting. We used a simple and yummy recipe idea found on the Little Mommy Facebook page and the girls got to make their own graham cracker sandwich snacks. The set up was just as much fun as the playtime!

If your child loves being a little mommy to her dolls, I highly recommend checking out the Little Mommy Facebook page and hosting your own Little Mommy Day any day!

Little Mommy dolls can be purchased at major retailers and online. For more information visit: www.littlemommy.com.

Disclosure – This product was provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the writing of this review; however, opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation.

About Emily:

Emily is also very active in the local MOMS CLUB. She raises chickens and has 2 shih tzus. Her daughter Caitlyn attends Montessori school and she hates housecleaning, loves wine and enjoys dining out. She would love to find a cure for the depression and anxiety she has dealt with on and off over the past 10 years, just like me. She is an amazing mom and friend.

Grilled Ribeye with Everglades Rub Recipe: Summer Grilling Walmart’s New USDA Choice Steaks

May 28, 2012 by Momstart 20 Comments

By Emily:

If you need to get stocked up for the Memorial Day holiday, or any weekend this summer, a great one stop shopping spot is your local Walmart. Just this past week, I made a trip there to get my picnic supplies, sunscreen, a new pair of sunglasses (yes, there will be sun in the Seattle forecast!), and all the food fixings for an evening BBQ. That means steaks on the grill! Now, just in time for the grilling season, Walmart carries top quality USDA Choice steaks at their stores nationwide.

I’ve never had a steak from Walmart before, but when I was given the opportunity to try out these higher quality cuts of meat and learn more about them from Walmart’s VP of Meat and Seafood, Scott Neal, I couldn’t wait to get started. The opportunity also included an invitation to watch Chef Eric Lackey demonstrate his winning steak recipe using Walmart’s Choice steak on a live webcast.

At my local Walmart there was a variety of fresh, delicious looking steaks to choose from. Their selection of premium steaks included: T-bone, NY Strip, Filet, Ribeye and Top Sirloin. Walmart is so confident that customers will love the top quality USDA Choice steaks that they will offer a 100% Money Back Satisfaction Guarantee! If customers aren’t fully satisfied, they can just bring back the receipt for a complete refund. Walmart still continues to carry their Select steaks in the white packaging, but if you are looking for a steak with more marbling, just look for the steaks in the black packaging. These are Walmart’s new USDA Choice steaks. I knew exactly what cuts of meat I wanted before I arrived and had no trouble finding the perfect Ribeye and NY Strip for dinner. Both were surprisingly thick cuts full of marbling.

Back at home, I sat in on the live webcast and picked up some great grilling tips from Chef Lackey. One of the most important rules of cooking a steak is to make sure the meat comes to room temperature. This will assure more even cooking throughout the steak. Another blogger asked if it was necessary to oil their grill before getting started, and Chef Lackey explained that a clean grill is most important and although oil isn’t necessary, it is often used to help create a nice sear.

I’m not exactly a grill master, my husband usually takes the reign over the outdoor cooking, but after watching Chef Lackey prepare his award winning recipes, I felt confident to give it a go on my own. Here’s the steak recipe used:

Grilled Ribeye with Everglades Rub

Recipe created by Chef Eric Lackey of Flamestone American Grill in Oldsmar, Fla. On behalf of the Walmart Choice Steak Challenge presented by Kingsford charcoal and Coca-Cola.

Ingredients:

4 Walmart Choice Premium Ribeye Steaks

1 head roasted garlic (roast in oven until golden and soft to mash)

4 tablespoons Everglades seasoning:

1 teaspoon coffee, ground
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon dry thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preparation:

1. Combine all dry rub ingredients. Set aside.

2. Rub each steak with an equal portion of roasted garlic paste on front and back. To prevent burning, do not get garlic paste on bone.

3. Divide dry rub seasoning for four steaks and thoroughly rub each steak and place in food storage container in refrigerator for 3-4 hours. This can be done up to one day in advance.

4. Preheat grill using charcoal, until briquettes are consistently ashed over.

5. Remove steaks from refrigerator and let come to room temperature.

6. Put steaks on the grill and leave in one position on direct heat for 4-5 minutes, rotating to get nice grill marks and even flavor profile. Follow this timeline for medium rare.

Here’s how my fine steaks turned out:

And let me tell you, both steaks tasted just as wonderful as they looked. I encourage you to stop by your local Walmart to stock up on everything you need for summer fun and don’t forget the steaks!

For these great recipes and more information on Walmart’s USDA Choice steaks, visit www.walmart.com/steak.

About Emily:

Samples were received

Build A Bear Workshop: Holly And Hal: Our Uplifting Christmas Adventure

December 3, 2011 by Momstart 3 Comments

By Emily:

Although the stores seem to think the holiday season begins the day after Halloween, you can be certain that this special time of year is upon us when the holiday programs begin airing on television. There are so many programs that I look forward to seeing year after year that I have begun to buy many of them on DVD. Having this collection of holiday DVDs allows our family the convenience of watching our favorite shows commercial-free whenever we’d like. The newest addition to our collection is Build-A-Bear’s first Christmas movie “Holly and Hal: Our Uplifting Christmas Adventure.” Staring two of Build-A-Bear’s favorite furry characters, Holly and Hal Moose, this is a great story about loyalty and never giving up on your dreams.

In this charming movie Holly the level-headed inventor and Hal the dreamer, both filled with imagination and heart, are destined for adventure. This sibling duo finds their way to the North Pole and closer to each other’s heart in this uplifting holiday tale, which will inspire you to follow your dreams…no matter how high they may seem. Will they be able to work together to save Christmas in time for Santa to make his famous flight? Find out as you experience the holiday antics of this pair of antlered siblings with powerful imaginations, a love of adventure and a wintery world of new friends.

You can check out the trailer here:

“Holly and Hal: Our Uplifting Christmas Adventure” includes the voices of Meaghan Martin, from 10 Things I Hate About You, and Jonathan Morgan Heit as Easton and Weston, panicked elves working in the weather center as the storm of the century nears. Though this is not a musical cartoon, there are entertaining songs that make this movie extra special.

Available at Build A Bear and your favorite retailers this holiday season, this family-friendly DVD also includes a $5 off $25 coupon for a future purchase at your local Build-A-Bear workshops. If you have a Build-A-Bear fan in your home, “Holly and Hal: Our Uplifting Christmas Adventure” this would be a great gift to enjoy year after year!

About Emily: